Penance
by Aerilon452
Summary: Grissom goes to Lady Heather to pay penance for all that happened between them in Lady Heather's Box.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Grissom comes to Lady Heather's Dominion for some penance.

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or the characters.

Rating: T+ for slight violence.

Pairing: Grissom and Lady Heather.

**PENNANCE:**

Grissom drove like he never had before, way over the speed limit. He had to get to her. He had to see her. He had to make amends for what he had done all those months ago. Why had it taken him so long to try again? Heather had told him to go. He went and never game back. Until tonight. He was going to show up at her Dominion and offer to do penance in the only way she understood. Grissom pulled his Tahoe into the parking lot and waited. Too many people could not be witness to his act of apology. Heather didn't want words. He knew how she would feel about actions. Getting out of his sedan he walked with sure footed purpose to the door and knocked waiting. Grissom was about to lose his nerve when the door opened and there she was. Heather stood before him ever the temptress of his dreams. "Lady Heather."

"Mr. Grissom." Heather wasn't sure how to react, so she showed no emotion. She was happy that he was here, but she didn't know why. A while ago she had asked him to leave and he had obeyed. Now he was back with a determined look on his face. Maybe he finally figured out where he wanted to stand with her. "What are you doing here?" she asked pulling around her the air that he was just another visitor to her dungeon. He was anything but that though. Standing before her was a determined Gil Grissom to do something she had yet to figure out.

Grissom leaned in close to her knowing that he was breaking the rules. Just another thing that he would have to be repentant for. "I want to do penance." He whispered in a harsh voice barely hiding the immense desire. Just the thought of what he wanted her to do to him had his blood boiling and his heart thundering in his chest.

"What do you mean?" Heather wanted him to be clear not only with her but with himself as well. She wasn't sure if he knew what he was asking for.

In another uncharacteristic move Grissom moved past her and up to her private rooms where he knew she had shackles mounted on the wall. Heather was hot on his heels with no protests. Actions spoke louder than words to her. He opened the door and was immediately hit by the scent of roses, but this did not deter him. Gil stripped off his shirt, his undershirt, and walked over to where the shackles waited. Grissom was exposing his clean unmarred back to her showing her what he wanted. But for this he would use words. "I want you to whip me for all that I have done to you." He secured the shackles to his wrists and waited. Not looking at her only heightened the anticipation. Grissom knew the pain that would come.

Heather was stunned and she was never surprised. But Grissom had managed it. He was bearing his back to her, asking to be beaten, giving her complete control. It was what she had wanted since first meeting him. She wanted him to surrender to her. And here he was, finally ready to surrender. "Grissom…" Was she really going to try and talk him out of it?

"Do it," he growled. Grissom was never one to let his emotions run away with him. But he could let go with Heather. He could be a man of passion, of fear, of desire. Gil Grissom could be himself. Deep down inside of him was a man who had been caged by the scientist. Now the man was free and daring the Dominatrix to dominate him. Grissom never enjoyed pain, but for her he would love it.

"Gil, this…" Heather stopped and then she relented. She turned to the door, shut it and then secured the lock before picking up one of the many whips she had mounted on the wall. Grasping it in her hand Heather actually closed her eyes just as the first blow landed on his unmarred flesh. She looked at him then after not hearing a sound. Heather was surprised. Even men more experienced than Grissom grunted in pain from one of her blows. She waited a beat giving him a chance to say stop. The plea never came from him. Again and again she landed blow after blow to his back with no cry of pain from him. Heather wanted to stop, but he never said the word. Not even after she drew first blood.

"Keep going." He clenched his fists, arching his back into the blows with the crack of the whip resounding in his ears. Grissom had never wanted the pain more than he wanted it right now to try and make up for ever thinking that Heather could kill a human being. She could inflict the sweetest pain, but that was her job, the submissive held all the power to make her stop. He would not tell her to stop. Another blow landed to his back and Gil let a yelp of pain escape before he could call it back. Heather had no choice but to keep going.

Heather lowered the whip and with to Grissom. She had had enough of this. This was not him, it was not Gil Grissom. The man before her was someone else entirely. But when she looked in his eyes there was the man she knew. He was done, he was over the pain, and he was ready to stop. But he was too proud to ask, to give in. She did the one thing she knew he wanted and what she wanted too. "I forgive you." Heather reached out and stroked the tips of her fingers down his sweat drenched face. She released the manacles around his wrists where he collapsed to the floor. Going to her knees Heather pulled Grissom into her arms mindful of the raw and ravaged state of his back. Tears gathered in her eyes for what she had just done. Never had she ever wanted to hurt him like this.

Gently Grissom reached his arms out wrapping this around her feeling that long sought after peace. She had forgiven him in the only way she understood. This way had been the only way Gil had wanted to say he was sorry. He had exhausted the conventional means; flowers, notes, phone calls. But nothing worked. Only this did. Only the tools of her profession would be the way back to her. He buried his face in the crook of her neck inhaling her scent deeply.

"I have to clean your wounds now," Heather spoke pulling back cupping his face. "I drew blood."

"I wanted you to draw blood to show how sorry I am," He clenched his fists against the first sharp, stinging, wave of pain that washed over him. The natural endorphins he body had produced were rapidly wearing off, but he would not show the pain. He would endure and let her tend him.

"Can you stand?" Heather hoped he could. She wasn't going to tend to him while he was crumpled on her floor.

"I think so," He mumbled fisting his hands in the fabric of her skirt while Heather's hands went to his waist to help him stand. Grissom felt shaky on his own legs. He draped his left arm across her shoulders letting her guide him to where her bed was.

Heather stopped short of the bed leaving Gil to stand under his own power. Kneeling down she took out a dark microfur blanket and spread it out on top of her comforter. "Here, lie flat on your stomach and don't move. I'll try to clean your wounds as painlessly as I can."

"Yes, Lady Heather." Grissom ran the tips of his fingers down her cheek before complying. The blanket felt so good to his skin that he nearly feel asleep. He might nap in the short span of time it took Heather to gather what she would need to bandage his back. He was sure she had those supplies.

Heather went to the adjacent bathroom to turn the tap on and run the water till it was hot. She noticed that her hand shook. Another first for her. She was always calm and collected when she dominated someone. Now this. Her hand was still shaking, right along with the rest of her. Pushing that thought away, Heather reached for the light weight marble basin and a cloth. While bringing out the gauze and tape with antibiotic ointment she waited for the water to get as hot as it could. First timers were always prone to hurt more than those who had been doing this for years. Crossing back over to his side she settled on the empty space next to Gil and set about cleaning his back. There was too much blood, but enough to cause her concern. "Grissom, I want you to let me know when you hurt."

"I will," Gil managed to say. Vying for his attention was exhaustion and pain. Grissom wasn't sure which would win. He did know that when Catherine or Brass found out that he was here, his wounds were the least of his worries. That realization made him laugh.

"What's so funny?" Heather asked gently cleaning the first of the lacerations that needed it the most. She tried to be as gentle as possible, but all the gentleness in the world would not stop the pain she was causing him at her tender ministrations. Heather could see the muscles of his back reacting to each pass of the cloth cleaning off the blood.

"Just thinking about what Catherine and Brass would say if they knew I came here, if they knew I paid the price in blood to gain your forgiveness." Grissom angled his head to stare at her. There gracing lips that he thought about constantly was a small smile.

"I've forgiven you," Heather said leaning over him to kiss his still smooth shoulder. "But don't ever ask me to hurt you again." She put a command into her voice. Heather enjoyed her work. But she did not enjoy dominating Grissom. They were equals in her eyes and in her heart.

"I won't," he replied. Grissom was tired. There was no doubt in his mind that he would be asleep long before she finished or perhaps shortly after. He hadn't been sure of the amount of emotional release he would suffer at the hands of his penance. But it had been substantial. Something inside of him melted with each blow and a sudden clarity washed over him in the span of seconds. Grissom had done this to understand as well as to ask for forgiveness. He wanted to be closer to Heather. This had to be the first step.

"Good." Heather set aside the basin finally ready for the bandages. She made quick work of covering the worst of his wounds. Then she put everything away, rinsed out the basin and set aside the cloth to be put in the laundry for later. When she came back out she could tell that Grissom was sleeping. She wasn't about to wake him, to tell him to leave. No, she wanted him here. She wanted to have him close to her. After all she had missed him as much as he had missed her. Heather took off his shoes and set them on the floor before she produced another blanket to put over him incase he got cold during what they held as their night. Dousing the lights Heather changed for the night. Before she could think not to she settled down next to Grissom and instantly was enveloped in sleep.

**LATER THAT AFTERNOON:**

Grissom woke to the late afternoon sun heating his back. Despite the events of the morning he felt content, his soul renewed with new life. Heather had forgiven him. That was what mattered to him the most, more so than the whipping. It was the only other way he knew of to apologize. Levering himself up Gil sat on the edge of the bed. "Did you sleep well?" he looked up at the sound of her voice and smiled. The smile was his answer. Gil Grissom could still smile.

Heather sat next to Grissom and lifted the edge of the bandage she had put on one of the deeper whip lacerations. The skin had knit together, but the wound was still raw and angry. "You'll have to leave these on for the rest of the day." She informed him placing a kiss to his bear shoulder. "Do you require anything for the pain? I know you must be feeling it." Heather asked coming off the bed to crouch in front of him.

"I don't. The pain is nothing I haven't earned." Grissom replied leaned foreword resting his forehead to hers. This, right here, with her was the most stable he had felt since that morning he called in for the warrant rather than ask her. He had to call it in. He had to remain objective, even after he had been in her bed a few hours before. Grissom had never stopped regretting that move.

"No, you haven't," Heather touched her lips to his gently drawing out a kiss she had been longing to give him since he showed up last night. She felt his hands run down her arms and slip around her waist drawing her closer. Her arms draped around his neck mindful of the whip marks. It had taken him great courage to come to her, to give up his control. Control was every thing to them.

Grissom wanted her in a way he had never wanted another woman. He drew her to him, across his lap, and he gave no thought to what pain could be caused should he lie back down on the bed. All he knew was the paradise of Heather's kiss, the feel of her against him. Nothing could take this moment from him until the ringing of his cell phone destroyed the silence. Gil pulled his head back sighing at the intrusion. "Pardon me."

Heather chuckled lightly shifting to sit on the bed as Grissom rose to his feet and walked slowly to his cell phone. She watched as he flipped it open, listened intently while making the appropriate noises in lieu of actually responding. That was her Gil Grissom, a man of few words. Then she noticed the shift in his demeanor. Heather had the feeling that he was going to be leaving her soon. She turned her face away to stare out the large bay window seeing the night falling over the desert. Soon the needy little boys would be showing up, all in need of domination. For the first time, Heather hated the setting sun.

Grissom listened intently to Catherine as she spoke filling him in on the DB that was found. They had a name and a place of employment. The girl had been identified as Alyna Montague and she worked for Lady Heather. This was the last thing he wanted to tell Heather. Yet another of her girls had been murdered. Death kept creeping into their relationship. At least this time he had come to her before death had. For that he was grateful. "Thanks Cath, I'll be in shortly to give you a hand."

"_Can I ask where you've been all day? You just disappeared on us last night."_

"I had penance to pay." Grissom answered his best friend knowing that Catherine wouldn't understand. He might explain it to her, then again she might not even ask.

"_Where are you?"_

"I'm with Lady Heather. I spent the night." Again Grissom told Catherine the truth. He couldn't hide something like this from her. She would sense the change in him and spend hours trying to draw the information from him. This was the best way to forestall the inevitable interrogation.

"_Oh Gil. You can't help with this case…"_

"I came here long before I knew there was a case Cath. As soon as the evidence leads to her door I will pull myself off and let you handle it." Grissom assured her. Catherine would definitely be watching him closely.

"_Fine. When will you be at the Crime Lab?"_

"I'll be there soon." Grissom turned looking at Heather. He raised one eyebrow adding a sly smile. Tonight Grissom would only leave when she told him to. There was no need for him to rush off, for him to leave her side. Gil wanted to stay as long as possible before death came between them.

"_All right. See you soon."_

The line went dead with Gil Grissom smiling at the tone of Catherine's voice. There was something to her tone that just amused him. He wasn't sure why; he just was. But amusement wasn't what was called for. He sobered instantly switching gears back into CSI Grissom. "Heather," Gil drew out her name. "I…"

"There's been another murder." She stated. She knew. Heather could see it in his eyes. A sigh escaped between her lips; her posture slumped just under the weight of that knowledge. "When will it stop?" It did no good to ask. There would never be an answer.

Taking measured step Grissom went to her. With his hands he cupped her face, signaling her to look at him. He needed to look into her deep green eyes. There was a need to comfort her, to reassure her that every thing would work out. Those assurances were hollow. Murder always happened. Yet, it seemed to happen in her world more and more. Maybe the pattern would be broken. Grissom could only hope. He leaned into her and placed the gentlest kiss to her forehead that he could. "I have to go." Hanging between them was the unspoken promise to return when he could.

**LAS VEGAS CRIME LAB:**

Catherine Willows always thought she had an open min. In fact she knew she did. If that was so, then why was she having the hardest time believing that Gil Grissom was so drawn to Lady Heather? It wasn't that Heather wasn't beautiful; she was, but that wasn't what drew Grissom. Heather's job was at the opposite end of the spectrum from his. So what was it that drew Grissom to her like a moth to a flame? Could it be the way Heather managed to shake Gil up. The one time she had seen them together, on accident, she had seen the way Heather and Gil moved as is in orbit of each other. Heather had this power over Grissom. That was no small feat. If Heather could get Gil to open up then she was the one woman in the universe for him alone.

"Hey Catherine, need help with the Montague case?" Sara had seen Catherine wondering the halls with a puzzled look on her face. So she thought she would come out and try to offer her assistance. Sara was only killing time until Grissom showed up. There had been something she wanted to talk to her boss about and it was personal. But last night Grissom had totally disappeared on them all. Sara never got the chance to talk to him. Now they had yet another murder to solve. Maybe tonight she would gain a small amount of luck and catch Gil alone.

"Uh," Catherine looked up to see Sara coming towards her. "Yeah, sure. Thanks Sara. I was waiting for Grissom. Guess you'll do." She smiled at the other woman. Sometimes Catherine wasn't entirely comfortable around Sara. There was just something about the other woman that she couldn't explain. Catherine liked Sara well enough and Sara was a dedicated CSI. So why was Catherine feeling this way? She didn't know and she wasn't going to waist time thinking about it. Not when there was a murder to solve.

"What do you have so far?" Sara asked scanning the hall, keeping an eye out for Grissom.

"Came from talking to Doc Robins, Alyna was stabbed three times in the back. One of the wounds delivered the death blow. It entered under her left shoulder blade and into the heart." Catherine pulled out the pictures from the file folder and handed them from the shoulder. "Now according the good doctor the assailant had to be about 6'2, maybe 6'4. The angle to the thrust was more upward than straight on."

"Poor girl. Hey Catherine," Sara spotted something on the morgue photos, "What are these?" She pointed to straight bruises along the ribcage. Sara counted ten lines all with equal spacing.

"Probably from the corset she was wearing." Catherine mentioned. She was looking at the autopsy report again trying to find something that she missed.

"Was she a hooker?"

"No, dominatrix. Alyna Montague worked at a local fetish club called Lady Heather's Dominion." Again, Catherine answered automatically.

"Fetish club?" Sara asked. Then she pieced it together. It was that dominatrix that Greg had been one and on about. Greg had been constantly talking about Lady Heather and how he thought Grissom had slept with her. Sara had given those rambling no credence what so ever until now. She reached out and put her hand on Catherine's arm. "Cath, where is Grissom?"

Catherine closed the coroner's report and looked at Sara. For a minute she thought she saw pain, betrayal, lingering in Sara's eyes. "He's on his way here." She made the answer as vague as possible. "Actually…" Catherine pulled out her phone and dialed Grissom. She had only disconnected with him ten minutes ago.

"_Catherine, I'm just about to step off of the porch."_

"Change of plans. Just stare there. I'll meet you." Catherine glanced at Sara then disconnected. She motioned with her head to the parking lot. They would take her Tahoe out to the Dominion. And it would be Catherine who spoke with Lady Heather rather than Grissom.

**LADY HEATHER'S DOMINION:**

Grissom closed his phone putting it once again in his pants pocket. He had told Catherine that he would be back at the Crime Lab only to get a call saying that she was coming to him, coming to Heather. What choice did he have? Grissom would stay at the Dominion waiting for his friend to show. Turning he smiled a gentle smile at Heather who had appeared behind him. Somehow he had missed the sound of the door opening.

"Did something happen?" Heather asked leaning against the door frame watching Grissom walk back to her. She didn't want him to leave, but she knew it was his job to speak for those who no longer had a voice to defend themselves.

"Catherine told me to stay where I was." Grissom couldn't help but let the tone of relief enter his voice. He hadn't wanted to leave Heather any more than she wanted him to go. "She said she was coming to us."

"You're happy about this?" She motioned between them, "About her knowing." Heather never hid anything, never felt the need to. But she knew Grissom valued his privacy and Heather respected that. On this she would take her cues from him.

Grissom stepped up to her, cupping her face. "I feel in tune with you now." He sighed "There is no words for me to describe…" He truly was at a loss for words. Heather was the only woman to actually put him off balance and he came back for more.

"I understand." Heather lightly touched her lips to his. She knew what he meant. She felt it too. The penance he paid last night wasn't just a way to ask forgiveness, it was a way for them to be closer together. He was the one man that she had wanted to be with since that first fateful night that murder had brought him to her door.


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: Grissom comes to Lady Heather's Dominion for some penance.

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or the characters.

Rating: T+ for slight violence.

Pairing: Grissom and Lady Heather.

A/N: I borrowed Mistress Sapphire and Lady Irena from the Castle episode THE MISTRESS ALWAYS SPANKS TWICE.

**PENANCE: **

**LADY HEATHER'S DOMINION:**

Catherine pulled her Tahoe up outside the large house that served as the Dominion. Killing the engine she sat there with Sara looking at her. The urge to just get the interview over with was so strong that Catherin nearly hopped right out of her vehicle and went right up to the porch, but what if she interrupted something between Grissom and Heather? Could she handle that? Of course this was Grissom. He was more professional than anyone she knew. Why was Catherine worried? Taking the keys from the ignition she pushed open her door and went right up to the door with Sara following her. Catherine was surprised Sara had kept quiet.

Sara had sat quietly in the passenger seat of Catherine's Tahoe, though she didn't know why. Catherine was deep in thought and Sara had something to think about as well. As they were pulling in Sara spied Grissom's SUV parked in the driveway. Though, she explained it away as Grissom had beaten them there. Getting out of the car with Catherine both of them walked up the steps that were lined with candles. "What sort of place is this really?" Sara asked as Catherine rang the doorbell. She had heard the rumors that Grissom had been involved with a woman named Heather but other than that she hadn't really paid attention. All she had done was process the evidence and solve the crime.

The door opened slowly to reveal a woman in knee high boots, velvet black skirt with thigh high slits, a form fitting corset embroidered with blood red and emerald beads. Sara tracked her gaze up slowly until she reached the woman's face. Knowing green eyes stared back at her. They unnerved her, made her want to step behind Catherine. But Sara didn't she stood where was.

"CSI Willows, it's good to see you again." Heather held out her hand in greeting to the brunette that she did not know. "Seeing as my usual greeting is oddly inadequate, I will simply say Welcome." In the background loud music pounded against the walls, cries of pleasure could be heard, as well as cries of pain.

"Lady Heather this is my colleague Sara Sidle. She works at the Crime Lab as well." Catherine introduced Sara.

"What is this place?" Sara asked craning her neck to try and get a better look before they were invited it. She didn't exactly understand why Catherine had called her Lady Heather.

"This is my Dominion." Another cry of pleasure/pain sounded over the din of loud music. Heather moved aside to allow the two women to enter. "Please." She closed the door, and then turned to them both. "I assume you're here to talk about a murder."

"Why would you think that?" Sara asked the accusation barely hidden in her voice.

"The only time a CSI would darken my door is only because of murder." Heather replied, the ice in her words barely contained. She was sensing hostility from the brunette and was responding to it. Granted it wasn't the way to go, but Heather couldn't help herself. "If you please, we can talk in the sitting room."

"No clients in there?" Catherine joked trying to diffuse the sudden tension flying around them.

Heather chuckled lightly, "No, I don't allow them on the ground floor. The basement and the Upper floors are where most of the sessions take place, and of course the pool house."

"Sessions?" Sara asked looking around at the décor.

"Sara, this place is a fetish club." Grissom stood from the sofa he was sitting on and made his presence known.

"Mr. Grissom, you should know better than that." Heather lightly teased.

"What? You mean like chains and whips and dog collars?" Sara stood there floored at what she had just walked into. She had an open mind, but this was even beyond her. There had been no mistaking the way Grissom seemed at ease with all of this. Just another layer to him.

"Those are the more commonly known tools of the trade." Heather answered sitting down gracefully in a plush chair. It was comforting to observe Grissom walking over to stand next to her under the guise of studying the painting she had on the wall. "But you came to ask about murder, so please if we can get this done."

"You don't seem to care that a girl, another girl that worked for you was murdered." Sara accused.

Heather looked at the last name on the brunettes vest and then replied, "Ms. Sidle what you see and what I feel are two different things. I assume you want to know which of my girls didn't show for work."

"Please," Catherine said making sure to speak before Sara as she sat down across from Heather. It wasn't lost on Catherine the way Grissom was standing. To anyone else it would appear that he was merely taking in the scene, but Catherine knew better. He was standing by her side. Grissom had made his choice. He was going to stay hands off.

"Shortly before you arrived one of my girls informed me that Mistress Sapphire had not shown up." Heather spoke, her tone calm, but inside she was shaking. Death wasn't easy for her.

Catherine pulled out the photo of Alyna Montague and showed it to Heather "Is this Mistress Sapphire?" she could see the confirmation in her eyes.

"Yes, this is her." Heather gripped the arm of the chair trying to hold back the pain of anguish as it coursed through her. "She was one of my most requested Dom's."

"Her records say she was from New York. Why did she come her to you?" Sara inquired.

"In New York Alyna worked in Dungeon ally, at a fetish club owned and run by Lady Irena. She and I have worked together before and we swapped our best Dom's for two months. Alyna's second month was almost up. She was preparing to head back to New York. If all worked well, then Alyna was considering moving out here to work for me." Heather stopped talking. To her right she looked up and into Grissom's eyes. He wasn't going to be involved in this case. He couldn't remain objective. At least she would have him on her side and that was what she needed right now.

"Did you have a personal relationship with Ms. Montague?" Catherine asked slipping to the edge of the sofa.

"She was a friend." Heather answered.

"Do you know if she had any next of kin?"

"I believe she had a brother in New York. Give me a minute and I'll get his contact information for you." Heather rose from her chair and moved out of the room with long strides leaving them all where they were. She would have wanted Grissom to follow her, but he couldn't.

Grissom watched Heather leave wanting to go with her. He felt her pain that she was keeping bottled up. Catherine and Sara were there watching his every move. Grissom had to force himself to remain where he was. It was difficult. The feeling of serenity vanished the moment Sara entered the Dominion. How could he reconcile the feelings he had when he was with Heather and the feelings he knew had no place in his work. He was a scientist. He relied on logical thinking, but nothing about the way he felt about Heather was logical. She tuned his world around.

Catherine got off the couch going to stand by Grissom. She reached out and put her hand on his back lightly. Grissom flinched under her light touch. She could see he controlled his facial features but the rest of his body went ramrod stiff. "Grissom…"

"Here is the contact information for her brother in New York." Lady Heather came back into the room composed and in control of her emotions. Idly she held the information out which Sara Sidle took from her. Heather tracked her gaze to Gil where she saw Catherine's hand on his back. She wasn't threatened by Catherine because she could see that friendship lay between them and nothing more. Heather wasn't sure if he was ready for his friend to find out that hours ago he had submitted to a Dominatrix and her whip. Still, she remained in control and gave nothing away.

"We'll be in touch if we have other questions." Sara spoke quickly heading to the door. She wanted to get out of the Dominion as fast as she could. It gave e a bad feeling.

"Oh, I'm sure of that." Heather called after Sara while keeping her eyes on Catherine. Slowly she walked back to them seeing all the questions in Catherine's eyes.

"Sara, I'll meet you outside." Catherine spoke without looking at her partner on the case. Her eyes were fixed on Grissom.

"Catherine…" Sara started to protest.

"I have to talk to Grissom."

"Fine, whatever," Sara headed to the door and went outside.

**A FEW MINUTES LATER:**

Catherine climbed in the driver's seat of the Tahoe outing the key in the ignition. She brought the SUV to life and pulled away from the Dominion. It wasn't anger that had her speeding away. It was the knowledge of what Grissom had engaged in last night. How could he do that? What was he thinking? Was that the penance he had to pay?

"Everything ok?" Sara asked looking over the information that Lady Heather had given her.

"Things are fine. Grissom's going to stay off the case and let us handle it." Catherine took a turn sharper than she meant to. She really had to slow down or risk being pulled over.

"You sure?"

"Yeah," Catherine pulled onto the road that would lead back to the Crime Lab. Grissom had really done it this time. At least he had the good sense to keep out of the case. She didn't know if he was going to be at the lab tonight. Who knows; Grissom might actually take the night off. It would be a change.

**THE DOMINION:**

Heather watched Catherine leave after Gil had explained what happen between them last night. "Are you sure you should have told her?" Reaching out to him Heather ran her hand down his arm. By her side Grissom was more relaxed than he had been when Catherine and Sara walked into to her Dominion. Or maybe it was Sara Sidle who put him on edge. When she walked in Heather had felt him completely shut down, but now he was the man he had been last night. Grissom freely took her hand.

"Catherine is my best friend. I had to tell her or she would have cornered me later on." Grissom smiled taking her hand in his lacing their fingers. He felt free enough to do that while they were together; there was the freedom to reach out and touch her. Last night had brought them to another level. It was a level that he could express with Catherine around, especially with Sara watching. Sara lived her life in a narrow field of vision that only allowed Science to reign. The life that Heather lived, that Grissom had been drawn to, was too far out of the realm of science for Sara to understand.

"What was between you and Sara?" Heather inquired raising her eyebrow when Grissom looked at her.

"You saw that?" Grissom asked. He hadn't missed the way Sara was staring at him as he stood beside Heather.

"She looked hurt as you stood beside me." Heather said. "There was tension." It wasn't hard to see. Heather could see that Sara held deep emotions where Grissom was concerned. It was that emotional attachment that immediately set Heather on edge; teetering her on the edge of her control. She was not a jealous woman, after all Grissom had come to her.

"A few weeks ago she asked me to sleep with her, to hold her in the night when she heard the screams of the victims we spoke for." Remembering it Grissom dissected the scene, analyzed the look in Sara's eyes. In her eyes he saw a deeper emotion lying in her brown depths. It was that emotion she was trying to convey to him that had him shutting down around.

"What did you say to her?" Heather inquired as she pulled him back out of the sitting room and up the stairs to her private set of rooms. Grissom followed behind her willingly.

"I told her that she gets to close to cases. The possibility that she was wanting more didn't occur to me." Grissom took each step behind Heather steadily; he knew where they were going.

"I could see that about her, and I could see how she would be drawn to you." Heather stopped on the landing to turn to him. "She see's in you all the qualities that wants to possess. It's about attaining what is just out of reach." Heather cupped his face.

"Am I out of reach for you?' He didn't know why he asked that, but he had to know. To him, Heather felt as if she were on another level just out of his reach.

"You're here with me," she responded. It was the only answer that she could give. There would always be a voice between them, the lingering pain of the warrant he asked for in regards to her. It was defeatist of her, but Heather was waiting for something to happen for Grissom to break her heart and retreat into his safety zone.

"It's where I want to be." Grissom spoke. "This is…"

"Hard for you; the trust." Heather moved back from the edge allowing him to step up close to her.

"Yes," Like he had this afternoon he leaned his forehead against hers and continued, "There are few people in this world that I trust; Catherine and Brass. I'm learning to let go, to let you in." Grissom had been like a ghost inside for months after that case. All he could think about when he was alone was Heather, the hurt look, the anger she projected. It wounded him more so than he thought it would. He honestly thought she understood what he had to do. And she had been right on some level; she had committed that one unforgiveable act. Lady Heather had known him from the first time she saw him.

"It still bothers you that I know you." Heather lightly accused, but she knew it did. How could it not? Grissom was a closed man, hidden away from the world and only ever comfortable in the world of science. His lover was the cruel rigid mistress of scientific reasoning. It demanded logic and total devotion. How could Heather compete with that?

"Not as much now. You see me in ways that I never wanted to see myself. Last night I needed the physical pain to release the emotional, and what better mistress to have than you to guide me through it. You knew I needed this which is why you didn't try to talk me out of it." Putting his hands on her waist Grissom maneuvered her so her back was to the wall and he was leaning into her, keeping his lips just a hair's breath away from hers.

Heather felt her breathing hitch, "How could I talk you out of it when you were shackled to my mantle?" She asked playfully. Heather rested her hands, palms down, over his chest feeling the wild beat of his heart.

"That's just it, you didn't try and I thank you for that." Grissom kissed her lightly, another gentle thank you in actions rather than words. Words meant nothing to Heather, only the actions behind them. "Deep down you knew you needed to do this too."

"You and I are more a like than I originally thought." Heather chuckled fisting her hands in the waist band of his work slacks. She was consumed with the emotions Grissom inspired in her. Heather felt so much but generally kept them hidden as a means of control; she was ever the creature of control in her world, her Dominion. This was her place. This was her world.

Grissom placed his lips so close to hers that they were sharing the same air, "Is that a bad thing?" He teased lightly. Heather was so enticing, a perfect puzzle for him to put together. She was so calm and collected around others giving nothing away. When they were alone she was open with him; easy with a smile. Grissom found he had grown too used to that too quickly. He would live to see her smile; he would live to make her smile at him.

"No," Heather sighed. She had now found her equal, she had found a man that she wanted to stop being dominant with. Gil Grissom was such a man and Lady Heather had known it from the first moment they met.


End file.
